E3 2012 wasn't just a banner year for bows and helicopters, it was also quite the year for throat-trauma. From Splinter Cell to Resident Evil to Far Cry 3, game after game featured resplendent, flinch-inducing throat violence.

In case you hadn't pieced it together, this year's E3 had a theme. And that theme was…
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Chris pulled together some gifs for you, in case you're you're into this sort of thing, or in case you want to get a sense of just how violent E3 2012 got.

Brace for impact:

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Assassin's Creed III

Connor wings out a redcoat's throat with a single swipe of his tomahawk.

Throat-Trauma Rating: 6

Far Cry 3 Part 1

Nothing says "tropical island resort" like a machete to the neck.

Throat-Trauma Rating: 4

Far Cry 3 Part 2

Hey, this looks like the same guy as before! What does Jason Brody have against dudes in red turbans and sunglasses? Sheesh.

Throat-Trauma Rating: 3

The Last of Us

This is the only one that doesn't involve stabbing. But my word, that looks trachea-crushingly intense!

Throat-Trauma Rating: 5

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

Whoo boy, the high-frequency blade is a nasty piece of work. Also a nasty piece of work? This sequence from the game. Yeesh. Bonus points for psychological damage.

Throat-Trauma Rating: 10

Resident Evil 6

Yeah, it's a zombie, so it's "not quite as troubling" as the others. Still though… dagger into the skull. Dang.

Throat-Trauma Rating: 5

Splinter Cell: Blacklist

My goodness. Sam Fisher takes down an enemy in most brutal fashion. Ag.

Throat-Trauma Rating: 9

Tomb Raider

Lara Croft isn't content to let the guys have all the fun, so she also stabs a dude hard in the neck. I heard that this game was where she had to kill someone for the first time. Considering that, she's pretty awesome at it!

Throat-Trauma Rating: 7

ZombiU

Let's end on another zombie one, and a nifty one at that; this comes from ZombiU's debut trailer, which doesn't show gameplay but does show some wicked zombie-action.